We have detected that Javascript is not enabled in your browser. The dynamic nature of our site means that Javascript must be enabled to function properly.
Please read our terms and conditions for more information.

Resource summary

The maintenance of
relationships (SET)

1 Thibaut and Kelley (1959); SET is an economic theory of relatioship
maintenance that decribes how well a relationship lasts is dependant on the
profitability of the relationship exceed the costs then the relationship will continue

2 There are lots of things that can be rewards and costs, for example,
money and sex. A reward for one person may be a cost for another

3 Comparison levels; if a person is unhappy with
their relationship they may be tempted by a new
partner. SET explains that there is a cost benefit
analysis of the new partner the current partner
continues to be attractive. However, if the current
relationship is less profitable than expectation of
the new partner the original relatiohsip will end. In
addition, the costs of breakup need to be taken
away from the potential profit of the new
relationship. This means that if the costs of leaving
a relationship are high, for example, shared
mortage or you have children together, the new
relationship would have to offer a significant
amount of profit to cover the costs of a break up.

4 Mills and Clark (1980) found that there are two types of relationship; 1.
'Communal couples' who share things and so thing for each other out of
concern for the other person. 2. 'Exchange couples' who keeep track of
what each has put in, However SET only explain the 'Exchange couples'

5 Simpson et al. (1990)
found that those in
relationships rate others
being less attractive than
those who are single. This
means that when we
compare potential
relationships we are less
likely to find them
profitable in terms of
attraction

6 Sedikides (20050 found that most people are capable of
being unselfish, a behaviour that is most important
displayed when with those who are closest to us. This
suggests that SET is too simlistic as it does not explain why
a person would be unselfish

7 Musch of the research is focused or hort-term
maintenance and has ignored long-term relationships.
Therefore we do not know if SET explains relationships
that last years/decades